Hi guys, please go easy on me starting topics is a "big step" but I was wondering if I could have input on how people like their shoes to be for climbing? Do you go for the really xtreme arches? Or do they put you at risk of needing orthotics? Are they really tight or do you like a bit of movement?

I personally tend to go for the slightly masochistic option of climbing shoes three sizes smaller than my normal shoes size, that dislocate at least one of my toes and give the need for cortisone injections in my heels if I wear them for longer than 20 mins...I think I need another pair of shoes for multi pitch...

I size my shoes way too small. The point being you get a lot of power and very little flex through your big toe. Not very good for long routes.
I now have 'Haglungs deformity' - meaning bony growths, esentially a second heel on each foot. Not good.
I'll be sizing slightly larger in future

If you go down this road, anticipate how much the boot will stretch, and ensure that it 'fits' properly. ie, it's actually the right shape for your foot (not the same as size). This means there are not air pockets, particular pressure points.
Finding a boot that fits right will be much more adventageous than picking brand A over brand B "'cos they're supposed to be better"

i like mine tight but not too tight, just enough room to last all day on a crag, but even then my feet hurt by the end!! however now i can see and touch my toe through the hole in the one shoe...... maybe it's time for a new pair, but then again they still work!!

I have two shoes,
One for Bouldering (Really Tight- Cant have them on for more than 5minutes, good for heel hooks)
One for Route (One size smaller than normal shoes, stay in them for 4hours and feel fine afterwards, plus great for hacky sack!)

If you think tight shoes will make a difference to the grade you can climb, think again.

For years I wore very tight climbing shoes when climbing hard routes. But a few years ago I started wearing my floppy old slippers on harder routes - and what do you know, I climbed much better.

I tend to have 3 or 4 pairs:
1) Comfy slippers/shoes that I can wear for hours, originally sized tight but not painful, for 90% of the climbing;
2) A newer/tighter pair with a little more stiffness, good heel, and a bit more edge for those occasions when required;
3) A pair of stiff soled trad boots - mostly for cracks;
4) A dodgy old pair for the gym.

I wear my shoes tight, way tight, but I find if I buy them comfortable I need to buy new shoes quicker because they wear out a little but faster becaue they stretch out and become loose and my foot work becomes a bit sloppy. Best pair of shoes I ever owned was a pair of 5.10 Hucoes I got second hand, pre stretched, fit like a glove, comfy as hell.

I also like my shoes to match my handbag, and dress, but that's apersonal thing and a story for another time and place.............

On 7/06/2005 MrKyle wrote:>If you think tight shoes will make a difference to the grade you can climb,>think again.>>For years I wore very tight climbing shoes when climbing hard routes.>But a few years ago I started wearing my floppy old slippers on harder>routes - and what do you know, I climbed much better.>>I tend to have 3 or 4 pairs:>1) Comfy slippers/shoes that I can wear for hours, originally sized tight>but not painful, for 90% of the climbing;>2) A newer/tighter pair with a little more stiffness, good heel, and a>bit more edge for those occasions when required;>3) A pair of stiff soled trad boots - mostly for cracks;>4) A dodgy old pair for the gym.

This is really interesting! Thank you all for your input it's great to hear different people's opinions.
Do you think your climbed better because of the actual fit or because you were comfortable Kyle?

The main reason I got the shoes I did was because I didn't realise they were as tight as the were at the time. However, I do like them tight...thinking critically it's most likely I like them that way because it's what I'm used to. The problem I've found whenever I'm looking at buying shoes is the heel too. I've got really narrow and small heels and no one really makes shoes that fit properly. Makes it difficult to buy anything that fits properly. At the moment, while heel hooking in my manky dislocating shoes, if I go for a heel hook my *^$@*! heel is prone to slipping out of the shoe...

> Do you think your climbed better because of the actual fit or because you were comfortable Kyle?

Both. I argure that to climb well you have to be relaxed. A large part of that relaxation comes from your feet. If you can feel the rock with your feet, you trust them - you feel more confident, and you can relax.
If your toes are mashed into a shoe it is very hard to feel anything. Then you hang on tighter to compensate.

Also, a tight fit tend to get you standing higher on your toes. A more natural fit tends to allow your heels to drop - which is a much more relaxing stance.

These comments become less valid the steeper the route I suppose.

BTW Some brands, like 5.10 and La Sportiva, make womens versions of shoes. I think they may have narrower heels.

On 7/06/2005 LittleMac wrote:>I also like my shoes to match my handbag, and dress, but that's a personal>thing and a story for another time and place.............

REALLY not surprised...

anyway i have a couple of pairs of shoes, one have holes in the toes but are great for easy outdoor multi pitches where toe hooks aren't necessary and a walk-off is. The other pair are my indoor comp-style shoes. They're fairly tight but would only hurt after more than 4 hours of intense climbing, and are extremely cumfy to climb in! Triop Raps - would recommend them to all for this style of climbing.

Some say no matter what the shoe (obviously get a style that suits your feet) you should always buy them 1-2 sizes too small for you. SUCH AN OLD WIVE'S TALE!!! you haven't felt pain til you've experienced a day multipitching in shoes like that. Even indoors - you can't expect to climb well if your feet feel so cramped and painful.

On 7/06/2005 steph wrote:>On 7/06/2005 LittleMac wrote:>>I also like my shoes to match my handbag, and dress, but that's a personal>>thing and a story for another time and place.............>>REALLY not surprised...>
Hey leave the sarcasam to the professionals. But really I have often climbed in womans climbing shoes if I am after a more comfortable fit because unfortunately I suffer from the same debilitating heel narrowness that Tav suffers from. Lace ups are always a better option if you've got narrow heels, or buy really tight shoes so your feet can't slip out. My two cents again.

On 7/06/2005 earwig wrote:>Do people wear socks when climbing? I never did, but a friend convinced>me to try it. I found it more comfortable, more pleasant, than non-sock>wearing. Any comments?

Noooooo socks not good. they create more friction between your foot and your shoe and if you have the right shoes they should be comfy enough anyway. they also make tight shoes tighter, rubbing blisters bigger, feet hotter and socks holier. bow down to the holy socks.

On 7/06/2005 earwig wrote:>Do people wear socks when climbing? I never did, but a friend convinced>me to try it. I found it more comfortable, more pleasant, than non-sock>wearing. Any comments?

I didn't wear socks, I wore those panthose, socky thingys. pantyhose things that are more like ankle socks. I loved them because they felt more comfortable and less sweaty. But alas, my sockies became holy, and went to the big dustbin in the sky. But I do prefer it to none.

Yep - I am a sock user. Mainly to keep my shoes from turning into sweat incrusted horrors. I tend to walk around bare foot alot at the crags - so using socks also keeps the dirt from ruining the lining of the shoes. If doing enduro multi-pitch routes or long cracks - then socks are fantastic for making climbing more comfortable. The softs act as a cushion against the walls of the cracks and you never get the dreaded foot cramp that I used to assocaite with standing in a hand/fist crack.

On 7/06/2005 Tav wrote:>I didn't wear socks, I wore those panthose, socky thingys. pantyhose>things that are more like ankle socks. I loved them because they felt>more comfortable and less sweaty.
I use to use those socketts just to get my shoes on, I had a pair of Boreal Zens' that were just way too tight and my foot wouldn't slide in. But Socketts Changed all that :)